PA Media
Patients are being urged to get a jab soon because it takes a fortnight for it to protect against the virus
Just over half of people eligible for a free flu jab have been vaccinated, a region’s health chiefs have confirmed.
The NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board said 940,000 in the area so far this winter had had a free flu vaccination, about 55% of the 1.7 million people eligible.
It is urging people to get one “as soon as possible” because it takes up to two weeks for it to be effective against the virus.
Bharat Dhir, managing director of Fawdon Park Pharmacy in Newcastle, said supplies were “tight” and he had run out of vaccines for the under-65s, but that more had been ordered to arrive on Tuesday.
The number of patients in UK hospital with flu is at its highest level for this time of year since records began – although they only date back to 2021 and do not take into account the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years which were seen in 2014-15 and 2017-18.
The integrated board said GP practices in the region had stock and vaccines were available to order from suppliers.
However, if a patient approached their GP or pharmacy and they had “temporarily run out of stock” they could book a later appointment or find a high street pharmacy, it added.
‘Nip out’ and grab jab
Mr Dhir said: “Vaccine supplies are very limited at the moment obviously this year with there being a massive increase in demand, supply chains from wholesalers tend to dry up.
“Flu season starts at the beginning of October and the majority of people are usually vaccinated by now and it tends to die down by the end of November.
“But obviously there’s been an upsurge in flu going around at the moment.”
A spokesman for the integrated board said its 950 vaccine clinics in the North East and North Cumbria were “hard at work” providing vaccines.
“There are currently around 10,000 appointments available in the region,” he said.
“It’s well worth nipping out to get vaccinated – you can walk in at many pharmacies, use the NHS app or call 119 for same-day appointments.”
